Poetic Licence
by mrspencil
Summary: A series using more formal poetic forms than my usual narrative verse variations. Contains spoilers for canon tales. A bit of an experiment. No slash. Chapter 37: The Reveal. 2 curtal sonnets based on "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons."
1. Midnight Violin

_A/N: This is a departure from my usual narrative verse postings and is a bit of an experiment. I claim no expertise in poetry forms but have recently read "the making of a poem-a Norton Anthology" and Stephen Fry's "The Ode Less Travelled" and was inspired to have a go at some of the older, more formal poetic forms-some of which I had not heard of before. Constructive criticism and comment is very welcome:)_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_A villanelle _

_Relates to events at Reichenbach so some spoilers._

_POV of Watson._

**

* * *

**

Midnight Violin

* * *

As sleep deserts me, I'd give all I have to hear

The blissful sound of silence but, alas, instead

The sound of midnight violin plays loud and clear.

~o~

I'm used to waking up from nightmare scenes in fear.

I see those comrades; silenced by the war, long dead,

As sleep deserts me, I'd give all I have to hear.

~o~

Each day of fighting pain and sickness lasts a year;

But as I tumble, drained and weary, into bed;

The sound of midnight violin plays loud and clear.

~o~

The sound of quiet footsteps tells me Mary's near.

I smile, and listen for the brisker, firmer tread;

As sleep deserts me, I'd give all I have to hear.

~o~

I think about that friendship which I held so dear.

As I replay those final hours inside my head,

The sound of midnight violin plays loud and clear.

~o~

I still expect my friend to simply reappear

And chase away all sorrow and regret and dread.

As sleep deserts me, I'd give all I have to hear

The sound of midnight violin played loud and clear.

~o~

End

* * *

_a/n2: following a query from mam'zelle, I thought I would explain the structure, for those unfamiliar with this form-as I was a few months ago. A villanelle (French, with earlier Italian origins) has 6 verses, five with 3 lines, one with 4. Lines 1 and 3 rhyme all the way through, and lines 2 all rhyme with each other. The first verse lines 1 and 3 are repeated alternately at the end of the 2nd to 5th verses and both of these lines end the poem:)_


	2. The Summons

_A/N: as per chapter one. I have added a note on the structure of this form at the end, for anyone who is interested._

_Thanks to Brazeau for reviewing (I presume you know your PMing is blocked), sagredo for comments on this poem, and Stutley Constable for the description of Watson as "stalwart" (Have a look at his excellent SH fic and SH/treasure island/pirates of the caribbean crossover if you can.)_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me. _

_A pantoum_

_Relates to events at the start of "the adventure of the creeping man" Some lines are direct quotes from ACD. POV of Watson._

**

* * *

**

**The Summons**

* * *

"Come at once, if convenient"

It ends with his initialled name.

He assumes I'm quite obedient.

"If inconvenient, come all the same."

~o~

It ends with his initialled name;

My summons back to Baker Street.

"If inconvenient, come all the same."

The same old Holmes, the same conceit.

~o~

My summons back to Baker Street;

A trip made countless times before.

The same old Holmes, the same conceit;

But does he need me any more?

~o~

A trip made countless times before;

A well-loved and familiar place.

But does he need me any more?

What help can I be to his case?

~o~

A well-loved and familiar place;

The memories I'd left behind.

What help can I be to his case?

A useful whetstone for his mind.

~o~

The memories I'd left behind;

Our fireside chairs, a welcome sight.

A useful whetstone for his mind?

A constant point; conducting light.

~o~

Our fireside chairs, a welcome sight;

His violin, his pipes and rack.

A constant point; conducting light?

A stalwart friend to watch his back.

~o~

His violin, his pipes and rack;

He knows what my response will be.

A stalwart friend to watch his back?

My partner still depends on me.

~o~

He knows what my response will be;

He assumes I'm quite obedient.

My partner still depends on me.

I'll come at once! It's _always_ convenient.

~o~

End

* * *

_a/n2: The pantoum (a Malayan form) has no set length. Consists of 4 line verses/stanzas. One pair of rhyming couplets from the first verse is repeated in a different position in the second, 2 new lines are added, and this is repeated through each verse. The final verse uses the first and third line from the first verse, so that the last line is adapted from the first. This means that every rhyming couplet is used twice._


	3. Scandal

_A/N: as per chapter one. I have added notes on the specific poem structure at the end of each chapter if anyone is interested. There is already a Holmesian sestina posted on this site; by SimplyElymas-"Inside the Problem"-August 2006_

_Watson looks back at events in "a scandal in Bohemia"._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me_

_Many thanks to medcat and sagredo:)_

_A variation on the sestina_

_POV of Watson_

**

* * *

**

Scandal

* * *

He'd never kept a photograph he'd framed before;

It caught my eye again the other night.

It reminded me of that intriguing case once more;

The one which brought my comrade such delight.

A puzzle in a letter and a masked man at the door,

And a blurring of the path from wrong to right.

~o~

Our guest preferred I left, as though he had the right,

He wondered what my presence there was for.

Holmes perceived his wishes in a different light;

Declared that if I left, he'd talk no more.

His Majesty could see us both or say "Goodnight",

And take his royal presence to the door.

~o~

The stranger stared at Holmes and at the open door;

I knew then that my partner's words were right.

But what on earth could royalty need Holmes' help for?

The future king, unmasked, described his plight.

He spoke of marriage plans and long past paramour

And the blackmail threat which spoiled his sleep at night.

~o~

I left my friend to think about this case all night;

A way to get himself inside her door.

As soon as he was sure he had events planned right,

My role was set; it's what a partner's for.

A scuffle and an injured, kindly preacher's plight;

Some smoke, a call of "Fire!", then several more.

~o~

We headed home; quite certain we could do no more;

A passing figure wished my friend "Good Night";

Addressed him by his name as we approached our door,

And hurried on, determined and upright.

Miss Irene Adler knew what heart and brain were for,

And left: with one short letter, shedding light.

~o~

We read of her integrity and prudent flight:

She'd found a worthy subject for l'amour.

It was her who had accosted us so late last night;

She'd tracked the Great Detective to his door.

It soon became apparent that her cause was right

And who we should reserve our judgement for.

~o~

The photograph is precious for it shines a light

On the fascinating case we took that night.

Respect: who earned it more? The masked king at the door?

Or "the woman", so determined and upright?

~o~

End

* * *

_a/n2: a traditional sestina (12th century) does not rhyme-but I found one example which did (by Algernon Charles Swinburne) so followed that structure. Should consist of six 6 line verses and one 3 line verse. Each 6 line verse has the same 6 end rhyme word/sounds in a different specific order and the last verse(which should be 3 lines long) uses all 6 end rhyme words, in those lines, again in a set order. I ended with 4 lines...poetic licence:)_


	4. Dancing Men

_A/N: as per chapter one. A short poem relating to "The Adventure of the Dancing Men". Contains spoilers, and probably makes more sense if you have read this story._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_A rondeau._

**

* * *

**

**Dancing Men**

* * *

Those dancing men: a haunted bride;

Her troubled husband, terrified,

Who asks if we'll investigate

The scribbled forms which lie in wait,

And learn what she's compelled to hide.

~o~

As words and patterns coincide,

We read the coded threat implied,

And wonder who has helped create

Those dancing men.

~o~

All other thoughts are cast aside

As past and present lives collide.

A note deciphered far too late;

A bullet's track to mark their fate.

All future happiness denied

By dancing men.

~o~

End

* * *

_a/n2:A rondeau (French) is usually 13 to 15 lines long; the first half of the first line ends the second and third verses. Longer lines have 8 syllables, shorter ones have 4._


	5. Wounds

_A/N:as per chapter one. Some thoughts regarding events in "the three Garridebs", so spoilers for that story._

_Sincere thanks to all who have read and all who have reviewed so far:)_

_Hi, Spockologist! Poem as offered:) _

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_A rondeau redouble. _

_POV of Watson._

**

* * *

**

**Wounds**

* * *

It was well worth a wound; it was worth many more

To witness what I'd never witness again.

A glimpse of the truth; so well hidden before;

A great heart existed, to match his great brain.

~o~

This reaction, I know, seems quite hard to explain.

An insight worth taking a bullet wound for?

What on Earth made me think, through the blood loss and pain;

It was well worth a wound; it was worth many more?

~o~

As an army physician, a veteran of war,

I have seen many wounds in each bloody campaign;

Yet I'd willingly suffer to see what I saw;

To witness what I'd never witness again.

~o~

His cold mask had slipped; his emotions were plain;

My wounding had shaken him right to his core.

Such depths of devotion his eyes could contain;

A glimpse of the truth; so well hidden before.

~o~

I suspect he'd regard his response as a flaw;

A crack in the image he strives to maintain.

But of course, he now knows I'm aware of the score;

A great heart existed, to match his great brain.

~o~

I can live with dark moods and the lure of cocaine;

And his skills in detection still keep me in awe.

His whims, quirks and foibles might drive me insane,

But there's one simple truth about which I am sure:

It was well worth a wound.

~o~

End

* * *

_a/n 2:the rondeau redouble is a French form of verse. The 4 lines of the first verse end the middle 4 verses in turn and the first half of the opening line ends the final verse:)_


	6. A Family Affair

_a/n 1:refers to events in "A Case of Identity", and contains spoilers for that story. _

_A terza rima_

_Any mistakes are mine_

_Feedback, as always, is very welcome._

_First section (italics) is POV of Holmes, rest is POV of Watson._

* * *

**A Family Affair**

* * *

_Life is often stranger than you think;_

_More complex than the stories we invent,_

_As motives, past and present, interlink._

_~o~_

_Coincidence, cross-purpose and event_

_Form wonderful and complicated chains;_

_Delightful in the challenge they present._

_~o~_

_No work of fiction truly entertains;_

_As plots seem quite predictable and stale;_

_Bereft of all the twists real life contains._

_~o~_

_Commonplace encounters never fail_

_To demonstrate this truth beyond all doubt._

_The simplest things can leave the kind of trail_

_Requiring care and skill to work things out._

* * *

A case, perhaps, would help to illustrate

Precisely what is meant by all of that;

And how the simplest tale can stimulate.

~o~

A client in a broad-brimmed feather hat;

Who oscillates quite nervously outside,

Then purposefully, heads towards our flat.

~o~

She enters like a ship upon the tide;

A lady troubled by _l'affaire de coeur;_

A puzzled and unhappy would-be bride.

~o~

Her groom, one Hosmer Angel, is no more;

He disappeared upon their wedding day

His large and loyal bride left at the door,

Without a reason why he went away.

* * *

She tells us of her independent means;

With mother and step father to support,

Till fate (one Hosmer Angel) intervenes.

~o~

A Ball: although she's quite the homely sort;

In purple plush, she's eager for romance;

And thus a Mr Angel's eye is caught.

~o~

Our heroine decides to seize her chance;

They dance, they walk and talk, they meet again.

(Her disapproving father is in France.)

~o~

Her father then returns and makes it plain

That she should stick to home and hearth instead.

She does not have the courage to explain,

That plans are being made for them to wed.

* * *

When father heads across to France once more,

Her shy and gentle suitor's quickly there.

He whispers, (as his throat is weak and sore)

~o~

He takes a bible out, and makes her swear;

Regardless of events she'll still be true.

And then, a hasty wedding to prepare.

~o~

And now, she's left alone, what should she do?

What reason could he have to disappear?

She'll wait and watch for him her whole life through.

~o~

My partner seems to think the answer's clear;

She's destined not to be his happy wife.

"Your Mr Angel won't return, I fear.

Erase him from your heart and from your life."

* * *

Our client leaves some letters Hosmer sent;

Holmes picks them up to study carefully.

He knows precisely where her bridegroom went.

~o~

I look, but cannot see what Holmes can see;

"The case," he says, "is quite a simple one.

I think it's time her father talked to me."

~o~

Her father wants to know what's going on;

I've rarely seen my partner so enraged.

"I'm now quite certain where that man has gone."

~o~

"It's really quite a nasty war you've waged,

You saw your daughter's money as your prize.

The man to whom your daughter got engaged

Was you, as Mr Angel, in disguise."

* * *

"You thought your plan was really rather smart;

To keep her trapped at home by love and grief.

A cynical attempt to break her heart"

~o~

"Your callous disregard's beyond belief;

You used her, to your everlasting shame;

You acted worse than any common thief."

~o~

Her father sneers, "No court will spoil my name,

No action here has broken any law;

I've simply played a harmless little game."

~o~

Holmes stands, unlocks, and opens up the door.

Then steps towards a handy hunting crop.

Her father is not sneering any more;

He runs down Baker Street and doesn't stop.

* * *

I cry, "This villain should not get away;

That girl should know he isn't as he seems!"

Holmes smiles, "There's nothing I'm prepared to say;

I'd rather take a tiger cub than spoil a woman's dreams."

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: a terza rima (Italian, late 13th century) has 3 line stanzas, with the middle line end rhyme of the first verse being used as the end rhyme in the first and third lines of the next verse, and so on. The last stanza of each section has an additional line to balance the rhyme in the second line, or can be a rhyming couplet. Can be any number of verses. _


	7. Notes from Boscombe Valley

_A/N: as per chapter one. Contains spoilers for "The Boscombe Valley Mystery". 8 snapshots; each written as a triolet._

_Feedback and comments, as always, are greatly appreciated:o)_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson_

* * *

**Notes from Boscombe Valley**

* * *

A crime which seems mundane and commonplace,

Can prove to be the hardest one to solve.

It takes the greatest mind to crack the case.

A crime which seems mundane and commonplace

Contains a tangled web for us to face,

And needs a steady nerve and firm resolve.

A crime which seems mundane and commonplace

Can prove to be the hardest one to solve.

~o~

I'm quite prepared when Holmes requires my aid;

My quick response was learned on Afghan's plains;

My bags are packed and locum plans are made.

I'm quite prepared when Holmes requires my aid;

The instincts of a soldier never fade.

(A deeper, harsher legacy remains.)

I'm quite prepared when Holmes requires my aid;

My quick response was learned on Afghan's plains.

~o~

The son who saw his father on the ground;

The case appears to be quite cut and dried;

A witness to their argument is found.

The son who saw his father on the ground;

The evidence, against the boy, is sound.

Involvement in the murder is denied;

The son who saw his father on the ground;

The case appears to be quite cut and dried.

~o~

The daughter of his neighbour plays her part;

She's quite prepared to back him to the hilt,

Her plea for us to help is from the heart.

The daughter of his neighbour plays her part;

Convinced that he's no killer from the start;

She hopes that we can prove his lack of guilt.

The daughter of his neighbour plays her part;

She's quite prepared to back him to the hilt.

~o~

A grey discarded cloak, a jagged stone;

Three sets of footprints seen, instead of two,

Confirming that the pair was not alone.

A grey discarded cloak, a jagged stone;

A third participant; as yet unknown.

My friend considers carefully each clue;

A grey discarded cloak, a jagged stone,

Three sets of footprints seen, instead of two.

~o~

A visitor; the neighbour, comes to call;

A dying man; prepared to tell the truth;

That he had caused those fatal blows to fall.

A visitor; the neighbour, comes to call;

The victim was the vilest man of all;

Encountered in a wild and misspent youth.

A visitor; the neighbour, comes to call;

A dying man; prepared to tell the truth.

~o~

His statement, signed and sealed, is locked away;

A higher court than ours will judge his deed;

The threat of family scandal's kept at bay.

His statement, signed and sealed, is locked away;

He knows that it will see the light of day

If our young client's case does not succeed.

His statement, signed and sealed, is locked away;

A higher court than ours will judge his deed.

~o~

So, was this act of mercy justified?

Or should we have remained within the law?

Did Holmes possess the wisdom to decide?

So, was this act of mercy justified?

The neighbours' son and daughter side by side;

Untroubled by dark deeds which went before.

So, was this act of mercy justified?

Or should we have remained within the law?

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: Triolet-13th century French form-consists of 8 lines, the first line occurs three times (first, fourth and seventh lines)and the second line appears twice (second and last lines). Not ideal for narrative flow as it keeps coming back on itself; hence the snapshots._


	8. No escape

_a/n: see chapter one. This poem refers to events in "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips". A Rondel._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**No Escape**

* * *

An envelope: five orange pips are spilled;

Long-buried shameful secrets reappear.

A haunted, hunted victim lives in fear;

No actions can avoid what fate has willed;

A promise from a distant shore, fulfilled.

A fatal rendezvous is drawing near.

~o~

An envelope: five orange pips are spilled;

Long-buried shameful secrets reappear.

Alarm and apprehension slowly build;

The purpose of the note remains unclear;

Such ignorance will cost this family dear.

A lone, defiant voice forever stilled.

~o~

An envelope: five orange pips are spilled;

Long-buried, shameful secrets reappear…

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: a rondel is quite an old form, Chaucer wrote in a similar style. Length can very; 14 lines is common, with the first and second lines repeated as the seventh and eighth lines, and the final two lines. _


	9. The Opium Den

_a/n: In "The Man with the Twisted Lip", Doctor Watson takes a late journey to Upper Swandam Lane, to retrieve a friend and patient. I was struck by ACD's description of the opium den. _

_A roundel. _

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson (Holmes puts in a brief appearance.)_

* * *

The Opium Den

* * *

A black-shadowed lane; a vile wharfside alley looms wretched at night.

A patient in need; an opium spell took his senses again.

Steep steps in the dark; a cautious approach to a flickering light.

A black-shadowed lane.

~o~

Red circles of fire; the glimmer as poisonous fumes wax and wane.

A vision of Hell; lost souls unaware of their desperate plight.

All dignity gone; no reason, no honour, no passions remain.

~o~

My patient is found; a haggard, bewildered and pitiful sight.

A wreck of a man; a slave to a drug many battle in vain.

A three-legged stool; an old man transfixed by the flames burning bright.

A black-shadowed lane.

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: a roundel has a short repeated phrase in line 1, line 4 and line 11. Lines 2, 5, 7 and 9 rhyme with this, the other lines all rhyme with each other. All lines have the same number of syllables. This form was invented by Swinburne._


	10. Baker Street

_a/n: the start of "The Musgrave Ritual" contains a lot of information about the singular domestic habits of Sherlock Holmes. A set of cinquains._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Baker Street**

* * *

A flat

In Baker Street;

Where clients come to call

No room appears remotely neat

At all.

~o~

Papers

In disarray;

On floors and chairs, high piled.

A case distracts and so they stay

Unfiled.

~o~

A strange

Tobacco store;

A Persian slipper's role.

Cigars are what a scuttle's for;

Not coal.

~o~

And here,

A butter dish;

No butter seen inside;

Just things a scientist might wish

To hide.

~o~

Fireplace,

With notes displayed;

Not neatly stacked; instead

They're fastened with a Jack knife blade,

Till read.

~o~

Bullets;

Queen, glorified;

A shooting game, when bored.

All pleas to move the game outside,

Ignored.

~o~

You could,

By now, conclude

That living with such mess

Needs patience and great fortitude;

Well, yes.

~o~

Observe;

And don't dismiss,

That proud ex-army man.

If anyone can live with this;

He can.

~o~

* * *

_a/n2: a cinquain is a short poem, with_ _5 lines, each having the syllable count 2,4,6,8,2. Lines 2 and 4 rhyme in this case, as do lines 3 and 5. The usual form is attributed to a poet called Adelaide Crapsey, from the early 1900s._


	11. The duties of a Boswell

_a/n: in "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", Watson muses on the difficulties in finding the right stories to publish, and is instructed on what to do if Holmes is not working to the best of his abilities... a Spenserian stanza._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me_

* * *

**The Duties of a Boswell**

* * *

There's quite a lot of careful work involved,

In sorting out which tales are best to read.

If Holmes can't solve a case, it's rarely solved,

And lacks the firm conclusion which I need.

And, sometimes even Holmes ignores a lead,

And hints of over confidence appear.

If options are neglected then, indeed,

My duty to my friend is very clear;

I pause, and gently whisper "Norbury" in his ear.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: A Spenserian stanza, invented by Edmund Spenser (The Faerie Queen ). Nine lines, first eight in iambic pentameter (5 stresses); last one in iambic hexameter (6 stresses) Rhyme pattern abab bcbc c_


	12. The case is the thing

_a/n: 3 short poems which refer to events in "The Adventure of the Yellow Face" 3 different poetic forms-Rhyme Royal, Ottava Rima and a rondelet._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me_

* * *

**Setting the Scene.**

**~0~**

A touch of drama colours every case;

We listen first, as clients have their say,

Then recreate the scene and time and place;

Like actors in some strange unfinished play.

~0~

And Holmes won't rest once work is underway,

Till props and cast and dialogue are clear

And all the pages of the script appear.

~0~

* * *

**Some thoughts on the leading man**

**~0~**

The amber pipe is cherished, that is clear;

Twice mended; each time with a silver band,

And, judging by the charring over here,

He's careless with a dominant right hand;

And reckless with his money too, I fear;

Ash traces in the bowl are Grosvenor brand.

When we meet him, I shall give him some advice;

He could get a decent smoke for half the price.

~0~

* * *

**The Final Scene**

**~0~**

He takes her hand,

The rift between the couple, healed.

He takes her hand,

A secret he can understand;

The face behind the mask revealed,

Her little girl, so long concealed.

He takes her hand.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: Rhyme Royal-7 lines, rhyme pattern-ababbcc; used by Auden and Chaucer._

_Ottava Rima-8 lines, rhyme pattern abababcc_

_Rondelet-A short line repeated in line 1,3 and 7. Line 4 rhymes with this but is longer. Lines 2,5 and 6 rhyme with each other_


	13. A worthy client

_a/n: this one contains spoilers for "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches." A virelai ancien._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson._

* * *

**A worthy client.**

* * *

Dear Holmes, when I write up a case,

Deems crime to be quite commonplace,

While logic is rare.

He calls my penned words a disgrace

Each time he discovers a trace

Of novelist's flair.

~0~

On the day he began to despair

Of finding great crime anywhere,

Miss Hunter appeared.

A governess, freckled and fair,

With copper and chestnut toned hair.

His mood quickly cheered.

~0~

There were details she hoped could be cleared;

A new job had aspects she feared

Were strange to report.

This work; well-rewarded, but weird,

Was hers if she just persevered;

And cut her hair short.

~0~

We pondered the problem she'd brought,

She wanted to know what we thought

Of taking that place.

She seemed quite a capable sort;

Holmes offered our help and support,

For what she might face.

~0~

* * *

A week, and then two, came and went,

Before a brief message was sent;

The girl used her brain.

We hoped there'd be time to prevent

Any adverse alarming event,

And caught the next train.

~0~

We met Violet Hunter again,

Who clearly was under some strain,

And weighed down with care.

We sat; she began to explain;

A drawer had been found to contain

A hank of red hair.

~0~

The couple; a sinister pair;

The son; with a taunting, cruel air;

The daughter; away.

Miss Hunter, in blue, on a chair,

Positioned precisely with care,

As day followed day.

~0~

Sha sat, like a doll on display;

A strange way of earning her pay;

No clue what it meant.

A man on the road, waved away.

What reason to keep him at bay?

What was his intent?

~0~

* * *

A tentative step on the stair;

A secret she hoped to lay bare;

A wrong to put right.

She'd followed her foe to his lair;

A locked room, a shadow, a scare;

A terrible fright.

~0~

Two comrades prepared for a fight,

A rendezvous later that night;

A servant defied.

That room; barricaded, locked tight;

The scene of a prearranged flight;

A skylight flung wide.

~0~

No sign of his daughter inside;

Another grave crime was implied;

Our help was too late.

A large, hungry mastiff then spied

His master returning outside.

A horrible fate.

~0~

The servant was keen to relate

That he who was lying in wait

Had rescued the maid.

Her father had hoped to create

The image of love turned to hate;

And yet he had stayed.

~0~

And so, the last act had been played,

I'm glad that we offered to aid

The girl with red hair.

And even if Holmes is dismayed,

The tale of Miss Hunter won't fade.

She's written with flair.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: virelai ancien; originated in France in the Middle Ages. 2 long then one short line, any number of verses; a chain rhyme, with end rhymes in one verse appearing in the next;and the first verse end rhyme appearing in the last verse. Pattern of rhyme for 4 verses would be:-aabaab bbcbbc ccdccd ddadda. I arranged this as 3 sets of verses._


	14. Priorities

_a/n: this one refers to the start of "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" and is a chain rhyme._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson._

* * *

**Priorities**

* * *

I can tolerate mess, to a great extent,

But was tired of the files piling high on the floor.

Holmes agreed to begin.

~0~

Holmes agreed to begin, with sincere intent,

Then he brought in a box he'd not shown me before.

A box made of tin.

~0~

A box made of tin held his papers of old:

All the work he'd recorded before I did;

Bundled up in red tape.

~0~

Bundled up in red tape were these tales, untold,

And a small wooden box with a sliding lid;

And a case took shape.

~0~

And a case took shape from a peg of wood,

And some rusty discs, and an old string ball,

And a key no less.

~0~

And a key no less and I understood

Holmes could tidy up, or could tell me all.

I can tolerate mess.

~0~

* * *

_a/n 2: this is not a set form but describes, I believe, any poem where the words of one verse link in with the next, and so on. In this case, I ended with the first line, and added in a rhyme pattern._


	15. Silver Blaze

_a/n: quite a lot of spoilers for "The Adventure of Silver Blaze". A double ballade._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson_

* * *

**Silver Blaze**

* * *

Dear Holmes is driving me insane;

I've had as much as I can bear.

He's pacing up and down again;

He's scattered papers everywhere.

At last I'm told I should prepare;

He hopes I'll join him on a case.

A stable owner's in despair:

His Silver Blaze may miss the race.

~o~

Perhaps I really should explain

The nature of this grim affair;

A race horse gone, a trainer slain;

A cause celebre beyond compare

For all the nation seems to care

About this horse with white-marked face.

Excitement fills the Dartmoor air:

Can Silver Blaze still run this race?

~o~

To Tavistock, by morning train;

Our mission will begin right there.

And Holmes regards with great disdain

The wild surmise the papers share;

Conjecture which they all declare.

He needs a far more solid base:

All facts detached, the truth laid bare:

For Silver Blaze to run the race.

~o~

Holmes knows that clear reports are rare,

Which groundless theories can't replace.

Without them, there is not a prayer

That Silver Blaze will run the race.

~o~

* * *

The owner's pleased my partner came;

He greets us as we both alight.

It seems a local man's to blame;

The case seems less than watertight.

A race horse lost in morning light

Has disappeared without a trace.

The motive? Greed, revenge, or spite?

So Silver Blaze won't run the race.

~o~

Three sheep mysteriously lame;

A startled horse, a sudden fright;

A flying hoof with lethal aim;

A dog not barking in the night;

A stable boy's drugged supper plight;

A trainer's double life disgrace.

Holmes knows that all will turn out right

And Silver Blaze will run the race.

~o~

The Wessex Cup: the chance for fame.

The owner greets us both, polite,

But puzzled at my partner's claim.

A bay horse runs with all its might

And wins; to Holmes' sincere delight.

My friend declares his hidden ace:

Beneath brown dye, a flash of white;

So, Silver Blaze has run the race.

~o~

An equine prince, a noble sight;

The flash is clear across his face.

Thus horse and owner reunite:

Yes, Silver Blaze has won the race!

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: a ballade is more structured than a ballad. French origin,14th century. and consisting of three verses of eight lines and a four line final verse (envoi) Each verse ends with the same line, the rhyme pattern in most is ababbcbC, with the envoi-bcbC. Also, traditionally, the final verse is supposed to be addressed to a prince; a nod to the royal patronage of early practitioners. I therefore added that word :-) The trickiest aspect is that only three end rhymes are used in each ballade. One variation only uses two._


	16. Too high a price?

_a/n: refers to "The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb"_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_A rubaiyat_

_POV of Watson_

* * *

**Too high a price?**

* * *

It isn't very often I begin

A case which Sherlock Holmes finds merit in;

But once or twice such cases come my way

Which have a general practice origin.

~0~

A railway porter urged me out of bed;

"I've got him here, quite safe and sound!" he said.

I wondered what strange creature needed help

And found an injured engineer, instead.

~0~

So, thus I met young Victor Hatherley;

His long and trying night was plain to see;

A dash of brandy quickly calmed him down;

A blood-stained stump was where his thumb should be.

~o~

A dreadful wound; crude bandage soaked in blood:

A tale he feared would not be understood.

Wound dressed; we both set out for Baker Street;

If anyone could sort this out; Holmes could.

~o~

We listened to the tale he had to tell,

Which culminated in one night of hell:

A recently apprenticed engineer.

(An orphan and a bachelor, as well.)

~0~

A job with fifty guineas as reward,

A chance for meagre funds to be restored;

A midnight rendezvous in secrecy,

And any doubts about the work; ignored.

~o~

A seam of Fuller's Earth beneath a field;

A find, it seemed, which had to be concealed.

A scheme to raise the funds to buy more land

And profit from an "unexpected" yield.

~0~

A press, in use, required some expert care,

And no-one was to know that it was there.

A meeting therefore planned for late at night,

So neighbours stayed completely unaware.

~0~

At this point, more anomalies appeared;

Our client asked for details to be cleared.

He understood hydraulics very well,

But not how Fuller's Earth was engineered.

~0~

A deal was struck; he caught the late night train

And met his strange employer once again.

With carriage windows made from frosted glass,

Attempts to map his journey were in vain.

~0~

A large forbidding house was all he saw;

A foreign girl, seen briefly at the door.

A sparsely furnished room, a stack of books

On poetry and science, nothing more.

~0~

A warning from that frightened foreign maid;

A plea to head for home and leave, unpaid.

He wondered at her manner and her words:

A fifty guinea fee, and so he stayed.

~0~

The sound of slamming doors as footsteps neared;

The frightened foreign lady disappeared.

The stranger introduced a second man;

Thickset and short with fine chinchilla beard.

~0~

He pushed aside vague thoughts of fear; instead,

Down corridors and stairways he was led.

A low door was unlocked, he stepped inside;

A metal floor and metal overhead.

~0~

The whole room was a huge hydraulic press;

A faulty piston seal meant force was less.

He gave them all the details for repair;

Quite happy with the ease of his success.

~0~

The facts still did not match the tale he'd heard:

Compressing Fuller's Earth was quite absurd.

He asked precisely what the press was for,

And soon regretted every careless word.

~0~

A sharp retort; an angrily locked door;

The sound as levers clanked and moved once more.

The sight revealed by lamplight chilled his soul;

The ceiling dropping down towards the floor.

~0~

The clanging metal drowned his desperate cry:

Those callous men had left him there to die!

Despairing, he prepared for crushing death

Until a line of yellow caught his eye.

~0~

He watched a growing square illuminate;

His only chance; no time to hesitate.

Behind, the crash of ceiling hitting floor;

An echo of what should have been his fate.

~0~

The frightened foreign girl by candlelight;

Pursuers gaining ground, a desperate flight.

A bedroom; all escape routes barred and locked:

One choice remained; a jump from first floor height.

~0~

Not fast enough; a final maiming blow;

A fall into the bushes far below:

Collapse; then waking, soaked in dew and blood;

The next train home; escape from heartless foe.

~0~

So, back to where we talked in Baker Street;

The engineer sat back; his tale complete.

No sound as we absorbed what we had heard;

A tale of dark intent and cruel deceit.

~0~

Holmes told the mutilated engineer

"You're not the first to suffer this, I fear.

A young man in the same fine trade as you

Had been reported missing late last year."

~0~

"The leader is a ruthless, evil man;

You'll need to lead us back there if you can.

We'll borrow several men from Scotland Yard.

No time to lose if we're to thwart their plan."

~0~

Inspector Bradstreet joined us on the case;

He opened up his map to find the place.

Fresh horses and a drive of ten clear miles;

The station served as central plotting base.

~0~

Holmes smiled, "I know precisely where they are;

A fresh horse hasn't driven very far.

They drove six miles away and six miles back;

Your journey, my dear friend, was circular."

~0~

"A gang of coiners; that will be their game;

And Scotland Yard are looking for the same."

But as we neared the station, we could see

The house we sought, engulfed in smoke and flame.

~0~

"The lamp you dropped" Holmes said, "has caught alight;

A just revenge for such a dreadful night.

To bring those fiends to justice will be hard.

The blackguards will be miles away by now."

~0~

The engineer declared quite ruefully,

"Well, this has been a grim affair for me.

I have not gained a single thing of worth

And lost my thumb and fifty guinea fee."

~0~

But Holmes replied, " My friend please understand;

You've such a tale to tell throughout the land.

Experience is valuable indeed;

The proof of your ordeal is in your hand."

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: a rubai, is a 4 line verse;or quatrain. A rubaiyat is a set of these verses. A common pattern is to have lines 1,2 and 4 rhyme with each other._


	17. Five tales

_a/n: 5 canon tales referred to in limerick form. I will leave you to work out which ones:-) _

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

1/

An engineer blithely ignored

Hidden motives behind his reward.

He found to his cost

That his wages were lost

And his thumb, alas, wasn't insured.

* * *

2/

A great deal of fear and distress

Was the fate of this young governess.

She'd have kept all her hair

If she'd taken more care

And accepted a job which paid less.

* * *

3/

An employer in love greatly feared,

When his criminal friends interfered,

That they might try to meddle

With the girl who could pedal:

So he followed her round, in a beard.

* * *

4/

An eager young clerk, to his shame,

Didn't question his new boss's game.

The pay seemed so nice

That he failed to ask twice.

Now a major bank crime's in his name.

* * *

5/

There's a terrible price to be paid

If you jilt a young fiery Welsh maid;

For she knows a trap door

Can fall back to the floor

And that screams under stone quickly fade.

* * *

_a/n2:Limerick-a 5 line poem, popularised by Edward Lear. First 2 lines rhyme with last one. Lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other._


	18. No words

_a/n: a variation on the ghazal._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson; the anniversary of a battle._

* * *

**No Words**

* * *

I smile; no words are needed to explain, my friend,

As haunting notes steal up the stairs again, my friend.

~o~

I did not tell you how I spent my day, and yet

You knew tonight I'd try to sleep in vain, my friend.

~o~

I shouldn't be surprised that you did not forget

The date on which so many souls were slain, my friend.

~o~

It isn't in your nature, Holmes, to show regret

But violin and bow make feelings plain, my friend.

~o~

In honoring those men who paid that final debt,

You're playing from the heart, not from the brain, my friend.

~o~

I sleep, a deeper sleep than I had hoped to get,

While music eases nightmare scenes and pain, my friend.

~o~

I dream instead, dear Holmes, about that day we met,

A Boswell, glad indeed that you remain my friend.

~o~

* * *

_a/n 2: The ghazal; an ancient Persian poetic form. The poem consists of self contained couplets, same number of syllables in each line. The first 2 lines and the second line of each couplet consist of the same end words, and the word before that rhymes throughout the poem. The number of couplets varies, but the final couplet should contain reference to the writer, often using a derivative of their name. I don't think the first lines have to rhyme with each other, but I believe they can. Theme is often of love, longing or melancholy._


	19. Speckled Band

_a/n: contains references to the "Adventure of the Speckled Band"_

_A variation on the Luc Bat._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Speckled Band**

* * *

"It was the speckled band."

~o~

At first we did not understand

How foul murder was done.

When this tragic case had begun,

Holmes deduced something bad

Was abroad on that night, and mad

Twisted threats declared quite

Clearly that plans were laid which might

Harm an innocent maid.

She lived in constant dread; obeyed

Him, or suffered instead.

Her way out? She yearned to be wed.

And to start life anew.

He would not let her dream come true;

But would rip at the seam;

Rend to shreds her last careful scheme.

She would not be the heir;

He had resolved to claim her share.

Such a desperate game.

~o~

The night; shadowed, and doom-filled, came;

We entered the girl's room.

A stark chamber; a cold, dark tomb.

Where vile plans would unfold.

Holmes sat, with his cane; calm, controlled,

And waiting. Then alarm;

A soft hissing was heard. What harm,

What dark deed had occurred?

Holmes sprang without a single word

And lashed out at some _thing_.

A whistle, a scream, bone chilling;

Which faded to a moan,

Then stopped. Holmes' voice, as bleak as stone,

Hardly daring to speak.

"It's over." Lamp lit; we could seek

What the horror might be.

He lay lifeless. We'd set her free.

There was no real regret.

She could now move on and forget,

In time,

That speckled band.

* * *

_a/n2:The Luc Bat is a Vietnamese poetry form , meaning "six eight".Alternate lines of 6 and 8 syllables. In a correctly written luc bat, the last syllable of the 6 syllable line rhymes with the 6th syllable of the next one. The 8th syllable of that line rhymes with the end of the next line, and the 6th syllable of the next. There are therefore sets of 3 rhymes running through the poem. I could only make the above poem work if I followed this pattern in reverse...I clearly need to get out more:-)_


	20. Lost and Found

a/n: contains many spoilers for "The Adventure of the Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax". A variation on Sapphic verse.

Holmes and companions do not belong to me.

* * *

**Lost and Found**

* * *

Lady Frances Carfax went adventuring abroad;

The risks of female solitary travel were ignored.

She did not pay attention to the perils others feared,

And disappeared.

~o~

Miss Dobney, former governess, stepped out in great alarm;

(No letters from her former charge implied she'd come to harm)

From Camberwell to Baker Street: when notes were five weeks late,

She feared her fate.

~o~

Lady Frances Carfax blithely sallied into danger;

Stray chickens can be gobbled up by any foxy stranger;

A drifting, friendless woman can incite some men to crime;

Who bide their time.

~o~

Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street took on this lady's case

And sent his ever loyal friend and sidekick in his place.

To Lausanne, Watson headed, quite determined to succeed

And find a lead.

~o~

Marie Devine was Lady Frances' popular young maid,

Perhaps she held the key to how her mistress was waylaid.

He learned that on the day before she vanished, there appeared

A man with beard.

~o~

Lady Frances Carfax left for Baden, on her own:

A note to Holmes; and Watson followed on her trail, alone.

She'd met an ailing gentleman who'd led a pious life

With loyal wife.

~o~

Patient Dr Shlessinger, a convalescent saint,

Endured an unnamed tropical disease without complaint

His wife and Lady Carfax both attended to his care;

Content to share.

~o~

Bearded man, who stood outside, caught Doctor Watson's eye;

He could not let this clue to Lady Carfax pass him by.

He challenged him courageously, ignored the likely cost

And almost lost.

~o~

A "French" unshaven ouvrier, shot out to join the fray;

A cudgel cracked on forearm put an end to lethal play.

The bearded man, it seemed, was not the villain he should dread;

A friend, instead.

~o~

Lady Frances Carfax had returned to England's shore,

With wife and saintly missionary, then word was heard no more.

What perils had befallen her, where ever had she gone?

The search went on.

~o~

Sherlock Holmes and Watson, back in London, made a start,

The bearded man, in love with Lady Frances, played his part.

They learned the true identities of missionary and wife:

Their double life.

~o~

Holy Peters, was that shifty reverend's real name;

Attracting rich and lonely hopeful females was his game.

With fake wife as assistant he would wend his evil way

And hunt his prey.

~o~

Watson, Holmes and worried bearded friend worked very hard;

They scoured the streets of London, sought the help of Scotland Yard,

But Lady Frances and that dreadful pair could not be found;

They'd gone to ground.

~o~

Slowly, seven days went by before a new light dawned;

A Spanish pendant owned by Lady Frances had been pawned

A chance to find her captors, but their hope was tinged with dread;

She might be dead.

~o~

Bearded man worked tirelessly to track the pendant's course;

An undertaker's parlor then back homewards to the source.

As time was of the essence, the intrepid duo made

A daring raid.

~o~

Holy Peters smiled and seemed relaxed to see them there;

Convinced that they would not find Lady Frances anywhere.

They searched the house most thoroughly, checked every single nook;

Alas, no luck.

~o~

The brand new polished coffin seemed a likely hiding place,

But lifting up the lid; they found an older unknown face.

So where was Lady Frances? Precious time, without a doubt,

Was running out.

~o~

Sympathetic yarders gently ordered them outside;

With Holy Peters' unctuous triumph puncturing their pride.

John Watson, hot and angry at portrayal as a fool;

While Holmes stayed cool.

~o~

Sherlock Holmes just smoked and tapped and prowled around all night.

He thought about that coffin, knew that something wasn't right.

Then realized the box in which she faced eternal sleep

Was far too deep.

~o~

Funeral at eight o'clock; they left with all due haste.

A lady's life was on the line, no seconds spare to waste.

Beneath the corpse expected when they raised the coffin lid,

Another hid.

~o~

Lady Frances Carfax lay as white and still as death;

John Watson acted swiftly while the others held their breath:

Did everything he could to help this ill-used girl survive.

She was alive!

~o~

Lady Frances Carfax is a wiser, sadder soul;

She mourns the carefree innocence which Holy Peters stole;

And yet, she'll try to find a happy ending if she can

With bearded man.

~o~

Ladies, please be on your guard, if freshly middle-aged;

In continental hostelries a cunning war is waged.

Please watch your family fortunes if you feel compelled to roam;

Or stay at home.

~o~

* * *

a/n 2: Sapphic verse: Ancient Greek verse form named after the poet, Sappho. 4 lines to a stanza; first 3 lines longer than the fourth one. Does not need to rhyme, but I like the pattern when it does:-) Each stanza should start with a stressed syllable. Not all of mine do...


	21. Veil

_a/n: refers to "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger". Includes direct quote. Based on the poetry form: the naga uta._

_Many thanks to my anonymous reviewer:-)_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_Point of view of Dr Watson_

* * *

**Veil**

* * *

We both heard her tale

As she sat in the shadows;

With a thick, black veil

Hiding once handsome features.

Seven years had passed

Since that dark night of horror;

She resolved at last

To reveal all her secrets.

~0~

She described the shame

Of her bleak, fear-filled marriage,

And we learned the name

Of her love; Leonardo.

She recalled with pain

Such a dreadful existence.

The response seemed plain;

She could bear it no longer.

Thus a plan took shape,

With the help of her lover:

She'd at last escape

From the grip of her husband.

A weapon was made;

Nailed like claws from a lion;

And a trap was laid

For a cold blooded monster.

They attacked their foe

As he strolled in the moonlight.

A decisive blow

At the hands of her lover.

She approached the cage,

Sliding bolts, bars and latches;

But a blood-fuelled rage

Meant the beast was upon her.

She screamed out in fright

For her love, Leonardo;

She was sure he'd fight

To protect her from danger;

But she'd lost her heart

To an unworthy suitor;

He had failed his part,

Fled the scene like a coward.

She was on her own,

Scarred beyond recognition;

Facing life alone;

Loyal still to her lover.

~0~

Now her tale was told

I looked up at my comrade;

A long time to hold

Such a weight in the shadows.

Holmes held out a hand

In a show of compassion

"You must understand

That the fates can be cruel."

We turned round to go,

Holmes looked back at the woman

"Deep inside you know

That your life is still precious;

It's not yours to lose

Every soul has a purpose."

~0~

"I'm not sure you'd choose

To live on with such sorrow"

She revealed her face;

Brown eyes sad midst the ruin.

~0~

Such a tragic case

Is not quickly forgotten.

I next saw my friend

At his home, two days later.

"That was not the end;

She has sent me this item."

On the mantelpiece,

Sat a blue phial of poison;

Death would not release

That courageous young woman.

Not all hope had gone;

She'd defied expectation.

Life would still go on.

~o~

"I send you my temptation

I will follow your advice."

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: naga uta: or "long song"; a Japanese poetry form, alternating 5 and 7 syllables per line (like a haiku) and ending in two 7 syllable lines. No set length. Rhythm seems to be more important than rhyme. This verse form was used for this tale as the veiled lodger's note consisted of two 7 syllable lines. I told you I needed to get out more..._


	22. Here is a writer

_a/n: a poem containing elements from several canon stories._

_A samsong._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Here is a Writer**

* * *

Here is a writer, alone at his desk.

~0~

Here is a scholar, who studies all night;

And here is the medical school in his sight.

~0~

Here is a student, carefree and assured;

And here are the rugby pitch, theatre and ward,

And here are the fees he can barely afford.

~0~

Here is a houseman; a doctor, forlorn;

Who tends to his patients each moment till dawn;

Then stumbles off duty, so weary and worn

And sleeps like the dead, or a baby, new born.

~0~

Here is a soldier and doctor, the same;

And here is the battlefield, blood, smoke and flame,

Where fresh-faced young men learn to slaughter and maim.

And there, on the hilltop, a sniper takes aim;

And here comes the bullet which carries his name...

~0~

Here is an invalid limping ashore

With fever-edged, sleep-ripping memories of war;

Still mourning the comrades who've fallen before,

His health is uncertain, his prospects are poor.

But here is a glimpse of what life has in store;

Two hundred and twenty one B on the door.

~0~

Here is a cripple who leans on his cane;

His purse strings are tightened; he's feeling the strain;

His best days are over, his nightmares remain.

And here is the moment the Fates smile again;

A brief chance encounter which banishes pain;

As hawk eyed detective with singular brain

Meets haunted young man from Afghanistan's plain.

~0~

Here's an ex soldier who's learned to stand tall;

Here is his medical bag in the hall;

Here are some bullet holes high on the wall.

Here is a flat mate whose habits appall;

Here are the clients whose stories enthrall;

And here is the journal recording them all.

~0~

Here's a physician who's found his true place,

And here is each strange and intriguing new case.

Here is a comrade absorbed in the chase;

And here is his sidekick, who matches his pace,

Despite every peril and danger they face.

~0~

Here is a man fighting forces of hate.

Here's his companion; resigned to his fate.

Here is a medical call, which can't wait

And here is his frantic return; far too late...

~0~

Here is a widower, living with grief;

Here is a moment of stunned disbelief

As loss and regret are replaced by relief.

~0~

Here is a Boswell, who stands by his friend,

And here are the many adventures he's penned.

~0~

Here is a writer, alone at his desk.

~0~

* * *

_a/n 2: samsong: this is a recently invented form, by R.S. Gwynn, based on "the house that Jack" built type pattern. Starts and ends with the same line after building up then reducing the number of lines per stanza._


	23. Thor Bridge

_a/n: based on events in "The Adventure of Thor Bridge"_

_Another one for AdidasandPie; a variation on the audl gywydd._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of, in turn; the widower, the governess, the victim, Watson, Holmes, and anon._

* * *

**Thor Bridge**

* * *

A single shot to the head;

The girl he'd wed years long past.

Free to woo another one

Now she had gone. Hope at last.

~0~

A single shot to the head;

But she had fled from his wife,

While she raged and ranted still.

She meant no ill; took no life.

~0~

A single shot to the head.

A strong thread should lay the blame

On that charming governess.

Death, no less, will bring her shame.

~o~

A single shot to the head.

"Guns", he said, "can be just right

For solving crime." Tightly tied,

I watched mine slide out of sight.

~0~

A single shot to the head.

She lies dead. Case cut and dried?

A straightforward, simple crime?

Not quite, this time. Suicide.

~o~

A single shot to the head;

A tale instead of hope lost,

Obsession, pride and love spurned.

Lessons are learned. At what cost?

~0~

* * *

_a/n2:audl gywydd:Welsh form;7 syllables per line, four lines per verse. 2 and 4 rhyme at the end, lines 1 and 3 end with a rhyme which appears in the middle of lines 2 and 4 (cross rhyme) I have also written a Sherlock poem using the same form. It seems to work best for slower introspective themes. I don't think the first line of each verse is repeated in the original form, but it seemed to fit here._


	24. Sharing the Sport

_a/n: contains many spoilers for "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge"._

_A ballad._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_Point of view of Doctor Watson._

* * *

**Sharing the sport**

* * *

Scott Eccles, worthy citizen,

A gentleman in every way;

Appeared at our consulting room,

Disheveled and in disarray.

~0~

In disarray, unshaved, unwashed;

A most uncommon, careless state.

He sat and sighed and told his tale;

His quite grotesque and sorry fate.

~0~

His sorry fate was thus described:

A rock of his community;

He'd met a man while playing cards

And found they got on famously.

~0~

So famously, in fact, that soon

His company at home was sought;

To call for dinner, stay the night;

Agreed without a second thought.

~0~

His second thoughts appeared too late;

A mediocre meal at best.

His friend, who seemed preoccupied,

At one o'clock disturbed his rest.

~0~

His rest disturbed, he overslept;

He rose, disgruntled, looked around;

His friend and staff had disappeared,

No single trace of them was found.

~0~

He could not find a trace at all

And headed homeward, quite perplexed;

He made enquiries where he could,

And turned up at our lodgings, vexed.

~0~

Quite vexed, put out and not amused;

He could not work it out at all.

He still had more to say, but then

Two grim inspectors came to call.

~0~

One man who called, Inspector Baynes,

A florid man, with piercing eyes,

Informed us of a battered corpse;

Our client's friend, to his surprise.

~0~

Surprise, regret, now edged with fear;

What evil had engulfed his friend?

While he still slept, what dire events

Had led to such a dreadful end?

~0~

A dreadful end, a dreadful crime;

The chance of answers soon, remote.

Our client then recalled his friend

Received and read then burned a note.

~0~

That note, Inspector Baynes now held;

Still readable, though slightly charred.

When client and policemen left,

Holmes sat in silence, smoking hard...

~0~

He broke the silence, thought aloud

About the death, its time and place.

We took a train to find out more

About this melancholy case.

~0~

A cold and melancholy walk,

Across the common in the rain.

Inspector Baynes with Holmes and I

Unraveling a tangled skein.

~0~

A tangled skein and dark intent,

No clue about the victim's role.

Two miles from home he'd met his death;

Precisely what had been his goal?

~0~

His goal now narrowed down by Holmes;

Appeared to be a house nearby.

Where had that victim headed for

On leaving home that night, and why?

~0~

That home, in which our client stayed,

Was now, with shadowed drive, in sight.

A shaken constable appeared,

Still trembling from a recent fright.

~0~

The recent fright, he soon explained;

He'd sat, just reading, in his chair,

Then, at the window, saw a face

With big white teeth and goggled stare.

~0~

A goggled stare which froze the blood;

It vanished through the shrubbery.

A size twelve footprint left behind

Confirmed how big the thing must be.

~0~

That thing was not the only one

Which left a chill upon that day.

Some items Mr Baynes had found

Were quite grotesque, he led the way.

~0~

He led the way through several rooms,

Past clothing, pipes, an old guitar

Then took us to the kitchen where

We saw the strangest things by far.

~0~

Three strange possessions lying there:

A wizened, shrunken man or ape;

A slaughtered cockerel, blood on white;

Charred bones, but not of human shape.

~0~

Inhuman objects, one and all:

What purpose did each one fulfill?

What sinister events took place?

What dreadful deeds were hiding still?

~0~

Still hidden: days and days passed by;

I waited for my friend to act.

My role; to wait quite patiently,

To share the sport but not distract.

~0~

Distraction came as headline news:

The capture of the victim's cook.

Holmes sprang up sharply, as if stung,

Then headed out to take a look.

~0~

Holmes looked, then warned Inspector Baynes

His capture might be falsely linked.

Baynes thanked him for his trouble then

Announced he'd carry on, _and winked._

~0~

This wink unsettled Holmes, he'd thought

The man was heading for a fall;

And yet the man had hidden depths

And still might triumph after all.

~0~

With thoughts of triumph far away,

Holmes filled me in on what he knew.

A neighbour, Mr Henderson,

Had merited a closer view.

~0~

A closer view, my friend declared,

Revealed the strangest enterprise:

Two daughters, servant, governess,

Kept carefully from prying eyes.

~0~

Away from prying eyes to please

The master; fierce, with mystery past.

The governess, a Miss Burnet

Might lead us to the truth at last.

~0~

The truth, as Homes envisaged it,

Suggested she had sent that note.

He'd seen the style of penmanship;

It was a female hand which wrote.

~0~

And if this female penned those words,

Was she involved as foe or friend?

And why was she no longer seen?

And had _she_ met a dreadful end?

~0~

A dreadful end for Miss Burnet?

Had she been harshly locked away?

An old employee with a grudge

Reported back to Holmes each day.

~0~

If no report on Miss Burnet

Appeared, we'd have to put things right.

With picklock, jemmy, steady nerves;

We'd have to raid the house that night.

~0~

We did not raid the house that night;

Events in fact moved on again;

Miss Burnet fled captivity

When bundled on a waiting train.

~0~

A train on which the others left

For destination yet unknown;

The shaken lady waited now;

To tell her story, quite alone.

~0~

Now quite alone and quite relieved,

A widowed lady, cut and bruised;

The livid marks upon her arms

Revealed how she had been ill used.

~0~

Ill used indeed; her husband dead,

A victim of his president.

That vile dictator and his staff

Spread sorrow everywhere they went.

~0~

Her sorrow turned towards revenge;

That president was forced to flee;

She joined his household, took her time,

Awaited opportunity.

~0~

When opportunity appeared,

She'd signal to her friends outside;

But spotted, she'd been forced to write

The note which meant our victim died.

~o~

Our victim, tragic nobleman

A credit to his family name;

Our client used as alibi;

A president's eternal shame.

~0~

That president had slipped the noose;

Inspector Baynes was on the case

Quite sure that they would get their man

When evil raised its ugly face.

~0~

And evil had its just reward;

A later headline story read

Of unknown man and servant found

Complete with gunshot wounds to head.

~0~

So many wounds inflicted by

So cruel a man with evil past;

I hoped those victims who'd survived

Could now sleep peacefully, at last.

~0~

At last our case had reached an end

A complicated case, we thought;

Inspector Baynes had proved his worth,

And once again, I'd shared the sport.

~0~

* * *

_a/n 2:ballad:a narrative poetry form, usually in 4 line stanzas, no set length or syllable count._


	25. Loyalty

_a/n:refers to events in "The Adventure of the Red Circle"_

_Two English or Shakespearean sonnets._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of the married couple at the heart of the tale._

* * *

**Loyalty**

* * *

**Emelia to Gennaro**

~0~

Our journey has been long, and filled with fear;

Together, we have moved from place to place.

And yet, as long as you are waiting near;

I'll face whatever hardship I must face.

I hope the wounds we've suffered will be healed,

And justice, truth and mercy will prevail.

I'll wait and watch for messages, concealed,

And pray that good intentions will not fail.

I know you feel the hand you dealt was wrong,

Your foolishness has had the highest cost;

But there is nowhere else where I belong.

Without you, I most surely would be lost.

~o~

And when our mortal enemy is slain;

I'll stand by you and face the world again.

~0~

* * *

**Gennaro to Emelia**

~0~

You gave up every comfort you had known;

A precious jewel, deserving so much more;

And now you are confined and on your own,

Uncertain what your future holds in store.

You could have had a settled, peaceful life

And yet you gave it up to be with me

You made the choice, agreed to be my wife,

Not knowing just how hard that choice might be.

My happiness, my love, depends on you,

If I can't keep you safe, then all is lost.

I'll find my foe and see the matter through

I'll put things right, regardless of the cost.

~0~

And when our mortal enemy is slain,

I'll stand by you and face the world again.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: the sonnet:iambic pentameter (each line has 10 syllables, second of each 2 is stressed) 14 lines. The English sonnet has 3 sets of 4 lines rhyming alternately, and a rhyming couplet at the end. The 5 poems I posted in "study in romance" were not actually sonnets as not every line had 10 syllables._


	26. The duties of a Boswell 2

_a/n: inspired by a paragraph in "Wisteria Lodge", when Watson is content to wait patiently for Holmes to work things out._

_Another Welsh poetry form so this one is for AdidasandPie:-)_

_A cyhydedd hir_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_POV of Watson._

* * *

**The duties of a Boswell 2**

* * *

There's a certain skill,

Now I know Holmes well,

In remaining still

To share his sport.

I do not distract,

Now I've learned the knack;

He will not react

While deep in thought.

~0~

When the game's afoot,

And the scent is hot,

I stand aside, but

I note his track.

And in every case,

My most vital use

Is to take my place

And watch his back.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: Cyhydedd hir:8 lines per stanza; 1 and 3, and 5 and 7 rhyme; 2 and 6 almost rhyme with them (near rhyme) and 4 and 8 rhyme with each syllables for lines 1,2,3 5,6,and 7. four syllables for lines 4 and 8. _


	27. Revelation

_a/n:and back to the three Garridebs again:-)_

_a variation on an ovillejo_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me_

_POV of Watson_

* * *

**Revelation**

* * *

I confess I did not understand at the start,

A great heart;

Such a rare and unusual item to find,

Was behind

Many cases we followed, again and again.

His great brain

Didn't simply exist on some lone higher plane.

But it took just one gunshot, my own injury,

And my friend's shocked reaction, before I could see

That, indeed, a great heart was behind his great brain.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2:ovillejo:Spanish form; 10 lines, 3 sets of long lines followed by short rhyming lines. Then another long line rhyming with the one before, two lines which rhyme with each other, then a last line containing the short lines. I altered the last line by adding 2 extra words to improve the flow. I posted another in this form as "Bare" in a Sherlock BBC series; "inverse observations"_


	28. Trust

_a/n: refers to events in "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

_Based on an Irish stanza form, the ae freislighe._

_Point of view of the older son, except for the last verse._

* * *

**Trust**

* * *

She can't replace my mother;

I know she'll never like me.

She kept me from my brother

And raised a hand to strike me.

~0~

I'm close at hand should father

Begin at last to doubt her;

It's true that I would rather

He chose to live without her.

~0~

She cannot watch forever;

I'll use my head, tread lightly

And wear her down or sever

The ties which bind them tightly.

~o~

Concerns will not be spoken,

She can't respond and name me;

My father would be broken

If she should ever blame me.

~0~

My plan is almost ready,

My baby brother's sleeping;

I'll take my time, go steady,

Slip through the guard she's keeping.

~o~

The dart, well aimed, is flying

And hits the target, clearly.

She's startled by his crying,

This act will cost her dearly.

~0~

Her face, now white and bloodied,

My father's sad conclusion;

The facts are blurred and muddied;

I savour this confusion.

~o~

I note with satisfaction

That trust is torn and shattered.

I'm certain that this action

Will bring back all that mattered.

~0~

So, bonds are stretched and breaking;

Despair is growing stronger;

The choice he can't stand making,

He must delay no longer.

~0~

He has not yet rejected

The hope he's wrong, completely,

My plans won't be detected;

I've planned it all so neatly.

~o~

The day's events astound me,

I'm ruined by a stranger,

In no time he has found me

To be the source of danger.

~0~

How could my plans be thwarted

So easily unravel?

So now I'll be "deported",

Condemned to distant travel.

~0~

A father's trust is shaken,

As brother turns on brother.

A husband is mistaken;

A lost boy mourns his mother.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2:ae freislighe:Irish verse form; 7 syllable lines in sets of 4. Lines 1 and 3 rhyme with the last 3 syllables; lines 2 and 4 rhyme with the last 2 syllables. Ends on a similar line to the first line._


	29. Black Peter

_a/n: a sea shanty or sea song based on "The Adventure of Black Peter"_

_Thanks to Ennui Enigma and Zaydee for encouragement and suggestions:-) _

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Black Peter**

* * *

A man lay dead at Woodman's Lee;

A cold, hard-hearted man was he;

None thought his death a tragedy;

The man they called Black Peter.

~0~

He'd made his living under sail;

By hunting seal and hunting whale;

But crewmen told a different tale;

He'd earned the name, Black Peter.

~0~

Two days before his death, appeared

A fellow with a bristled beard

No man who saw him interfered

With one who knew Black Peter.

~0~

His daughter heard a scream ring out;

She'd often heard her father shout;

She slept that night, quite free from doubt

That ill befell Black Peter.

~0~

Next morn, the cabin door was spied,

Unlatched, unlocked and swinging wide;

But no-one dared to gaze inside,

Till noon, upon Black Peter.

~0~

His cabin was the blood-stained scene

Of murder foul and quite obscene;

A harpoon shaft was thrust quite clean,

And pierced straight through Black Peter.

~0~

His wife and daughter wished him dead,

And blessed his killer's hand instead;

A cruel and wretched life they'd led;

The family of Black Peter.

~0~

Three items caught the Yarder's eye;

The harpoon's empty shelf on high;

A book; a sealskin pouch nearby;

Initials matched Black Peter.

~0~

A gruesome murder case to solve;

A Yarder hoped he might involve

A man whose brain could help resolve

The killing of Black Peter.

~0~

Three men arrived at Woodman's Lee;

The scene was checked most carefully

A lock was scratched quite recently,

Belonging to Black Peter.

~0~

A midnight cabin watch took place;

They stood with bated breath in case

They met the killer face to face,

The man who'd killed Black Peter.

~0~

Their diligence was not in vain;

The "burglar" tried his hand again;

Caught out, he hoped he could explain

His grudge against Black Peter.

~0~

A tale of customers betrayed,

As plans to make amends were made.

This hopeful enterprise waylaid;

A victim of Black Peter.

~0~

His father's stricken yacht, storm-tossed;

A plea for help when all was lost;

He had not seen the deadly cost

Of dealing with Black Peter.

~0~

A motive, but too slightly built

To drive such weapons to the hilt;

Another man must bear the guilt

Of murdering Black Peter.

~0~

The Yarder's friend in Captain's guise

Stepped out to widely advertise

A whaling job, a tempting prize

For shipmates of Black Peter.

~0~

And, sure enough, a whaler came

Who hoped he had the skills to claim

The post, and also had the same

Initials as Black Peter.

~o~

The game was up; he saw too late

The job was merely set as bait.

He told them of the yachtsman's fate

When "rescued" by Black Peter

~0~

A murder witnessed out at sea

A chance to gain financially

He tracked him down to Woodman's Lee

And called upon Black Peter

~0~

He told them of that dreadful night;

A knife to hand, a desperate fight;

A harpoon thrust with fearful might;

Defence against Black Peter.

~0~

A man lay dead at Woodman's Lee;

A cold, hard-hearted man was he;

None thought his death a tragedy;

The man they called Black Peter.

~0~


	30. Frisco Gold

_a/n: The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor retold in Blues Stanzas_

_Many thanks to Ennui Enigma and Zaydee for encouragement and suggestions._

* * *

**'Frisco Gold**

* * *

I have a tale to tell to you now, a tale which should be told,

As other tales, I've written down, were destined to be told;

The tale of Lord St Simon and his claim on 'Frisco gold.

~0~

You'd think he'd be a wealthy man, this noble English lord;

With no financial worries as a noble English lord;

But the title and the attitude were all he could afford.

~0~

Until he met his wife-to-be; a California maid,

Until he met a rich and comely California maid.

He reckoned up her assets and soon wedding plans were laid.

~0~

They married, on the quiet; on the day that they were wed,

His blushing and attractive bride seemed glad that they were wed;

But before they'd finished breakfast it was clear the girl had fled.

~0~

Abduction? Exile? Homicide? St Simon couldn't tell;

The wedding plans seemed perfect; what went wrong? He couldn't tell.

He seemed perplexed at what had started out, that day, so well.

~0~

He told the Great Detective of her less than top notch past;

A childhood spent in mining camps; a wild tomboyish past.

He nobly overlooked it ( well, her fortune was quite vast.)

~0~

He also spoke of Flora, whom he'd nobly cast aside;

She had no gold-strike fortune, so, of course, was cast aside;

A girl just right for foolin' with; but no potential bride.

~0~

He also mentioned something which had happened in the church;

A man approached his dear betrothed, while walking through the church;

And now this girl had been and gone and left him in the lurch.

~0~

Did wasteland need examining, should London ponds be drained?

Had someone drowned his darling? Should the fountain pools be drained?

Remove the quite impossible; check out what else remained.

~0~

His bride's swift disappearance was, in fact, quite simply solved;

With Holmes upon the bridal path, the case was swiftly solved;

St Simon hadn't figured out the elements involved.

~0~

St Simon hadn't wed before; his bride, it turned out, had;

On a gold field in the Rockies, it turned out his sweetheart had;

She'd thought her groom deceased; found out he wasn't, and was glad.

~0~

So Hatty's with the husband she had wed those years before;

St Simon's now a bachelor, again, just like before.

And he has no 'Frisco fortune, and his noble pride is sore.

~0~

So if you have a hankering to own some 'Frisco gold

Make sure there are no other claims upon that pile of gold

And there are nobler reasons to be wed; if truth be told.

~0~


	31. Lost without my Boswell?

_a/n: "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier" is on of a very few number of tales penned by Holmes himself. _

_"The good Watson had deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action I can recall in our association. I was alone"-ACD._

* * *

**Lost Without my Boswell?**

* * *

When writing up a case

I do not need romantic flourishes.

The pure and unembellished truth

Is what sustains and nourishes.

My words are straight and true

My focus, only on veracity;

With words like pertinacious

And indeed, like pertinacity.

A tale with neat beginning,

Simple middle, and an end.

In clear and measured paragraphs,

Each one precisely penned...

~0~

You would not get such sharp,

Concise narration from my friend.

~0~

So, first an introduction to

My military client.

It truly is a novelty

To be so self-reliant.

It was, however, selfish

Of dear Watson to be wed;

I'm sure he'd rather be here

Taking journal notes instead.

Now, here is where surprise

At my deductions should be penned...

It's hard to write amazement

From one viewpoint, I contend.

~0~

This does not mean I'm missing

Admiration from my friend.

~0~

I'm not entirely happy

With the way that first scene went;

I came across as rather smug;

That wasn't my intent.

And though I am well known

For my unrivalled observations,

I seem to keep returning to

First person conversations.

I criticised poor Watson

For the poetry he penned...

Perhaps, yes, just perhaps

I had slight cause to condescend.

~0~

Of course I'm not suggesting

I dealt harshly with my friend.

~0~

The client's story told,

I'll now move swiftly to the action;

My brilliant conclusion

And my client's awed reaction;

That moment when my keen

Detective work is celebrated;

Although, on closer scrutiny

The ending seems deflated.

That last dramatic fainting scene

Was really not well penned...

Perhaps I've reached the point

When I'll admit I comprehend

~0~

The skill in telling stories,

And the value of my friend.

~0~


	32. Blind

_a/n: 4 sixteen line poems based on The Adventure of the Golden Pince-nez. Each is a variation on a quatern. The first two are from the point of view of Holmes; the second two from the point of view of Anna._

_Thanks again to Ennui Enigma and Zaydee:-) _

* * *

**Blind**

* * *

**Holmes**

one

A strange and quite perplexing case, I fear;

An innocent young man has lost his life.

The piece which caused the lethal blow, lies here;

A simple, yet quite deadly, paper knife.

~0~

The weapon, snatched in haste, was not pre-planned;

A strange and quite perplexing case I fear.

A fight which escalated out of hand?

A tragedy, has touched this place, it's clear.

~0~

What route was used to swiftly disappear?

Her spectacles, grasped tight, were left behind.

A strange and quite perplexing case I fear

With pince-nez lost, she was, alas, quite blind.

~0~

A pointless, unpremeditated crime,

An accident has cost all parties dear;

But justice will be meted out in time.

A strange and quite perplexing case, I fear.

~0~

two

An accident has cost all parties dear.

An innocent young man has lost his life

She must have fled the fatal scene in fear;

Regretted picking up that wretched knife.

~0~

The matting down both hallways is the same;

An accident has cost all parties dear.

Escaping from the household was her aim;

But did another hiding place appear?

~0~

The answer to the case is very near;

I know in which direction she has fled.

An accident has cost all parties dear;

The owner knows much than he has said.

~0~

She's somewhere in this bedroom and concealed;

Her trail across the carpet ash is clear.

What tale will follow once she is revealed?

An accident has cost all parties dear.

~0~~0~~0~

**Anna**

one

With pince-nez lost she was, alas, quite blind;

And waited; trapped, concealed and quite alone.

Her journey had been hard; the fates unkind;

The consequences chilled her to the bone.

~0~

The matting had confused her, marred her flight;

With pince-nez lost she was, alas, quite blind.

She'd lost her way and stumbled, robbed of sight,

And found the man who'd cost her peace of mind.

~0~

She'd hoped to save the friend she'd left behind

She'd simply hoped to block a shocked advance

With pince-nez lost she was, alas, quite blind;

A lethal weapon seized upon by chance.

~0~

An old embittered man, his troubled wife;

As past and present motives intertwined.

An innocent young man had lost his life;

With pince-nez lost she was, alas, quite blind.

~0~

two

As past and present motives intertwined,

She thought about the choices of her youth;

She hoped to help the one she'd left behind,

Who'd suffered for their cause and told the truth.

~0~

She'd done her very best to make amends

As past and present motives intertwined,

And he who'd sacrificed his wife and friends

Preyed constantly upon her troubled mind.

~0~

She pondered on the foolish ties which bind;

A coward had betrayed his loyal wife.

As past and present motives intertwined;

An innocent young man had lost his life.

~0~

She stepped into the room, she'd heard his voice;

With pince-nez lost she was, alas, quite blind.

She clutched the broken phial, she'd made her choice,

As past and present motives intertwined.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: A quatern is a 16 line poem, with 4 verses. The first line of the first verse is also the second line of verse 2, the third line of verse 3, and the last line of verse 4. Should be 8 syllables per line, mine have 10_


	33. Lunatics, Lovers and Poets

_a/n: inspired by "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman". A terzanelle._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me. Many thanks to ennui enigma and Zaydee._

_POV of Dr Watson. _

* * *

**Lunatics, Lovers and Poets**

* * *

I start my full description of the case;

Holmes tells me it's not relevant at all

For poetry, he argues, has no place.

~0~

I tell him of the lichen on the wall;

I try to be as detailed as I can;

Holmes tells me it's not relevant at all.

~0~

I went to see the broken colour man;

And Holmes expects a full and clear report;

I try to be as detailed as I can.

~0~

There's more to observation than I thought;

His wooden leg completely passed me by;

And Holmes expects a full and clear report

~0~

I cannot please my comrade, though I try;

I told him of fresh paint on hall and door;

His wooden leg completely passed me by.

~0~

He's certain that I could have learned much more;

Seen neighbours, talked to tradesmen, asked around;

I told him of fresh paint on hall and door.

~0~

A strong room kept his savings safe and sound,

Now vanished, Holmes would clearly have moved on;

Seen neighbours, talked to tradesmen, asked around

~0~

His love, his friend, his future have all gone;

He mourns the things which brightened up his life,

Now vanished, Holmes would clearly have moved on

~0~

To theatre tickets, bought to please his wife

He said he'd gone alone the night she left;

He mourns the things which brightened up his life.

~0~

A man consumed with grief, a soul bereft;

As Holmes begins to check his story out;

He said he'd gone alone the night she left.

~0~

An alibi destroyed, a growing doubt,

A definite suspicion taking seed.

As Holmes begins to check the story out,

~0~

A murderous alternative indeed.

The paint designed to throw me off the scent;

A definite suspicion taking seed.

~0~

A burglary reveals his mad intent;

A strong room; gas-filled pipes, two lovers trapped;

The paint designed to throw me off the scent.

~0~

A dreadful crime which Holmes has neatly wrapped;

While I, and client, take the Essex train;

A strong room; gas filled pipes, two lovers trapped.

~0~

Holmes' search reveals a plot that's far from sane;

A gripping tale of jealousy and rage;

While I, and client, take the Essex train.

~0~

As lunatics and lovers fill my page;

I write a full report upon this case;

A gripping tale of jealousy and rage

Where poetry, I'd argue, has its place.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: a terzanelle is a recently invented form-a cross between a villanelle and a terza rima. Second line of one three line verse becomes the third line of the next. Last 4 lines include third line of the first._

_a/n3: "The lunatic, the lover and the poet _

_Are of imagination all compact: _

_One sees more devils than vast hell can hold, _

_That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic, _

_Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt: _

_The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling, _

_Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven; _

_And as imagination bodies forth _

_The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen _

_Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing _

_A local habitation and a name. "_

_-Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream-William Shakespeare-_


	34. Family Values

_a/n: refers to The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place._

_A variation on a Rime Couée_

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Family Values**

* * *

Holmes seeks out dust and threads of tweed and then, in triumph, glue;

The microscope is put aside, a client's overdue.

A new case to crack?

He bids me to enlighten him on racing, for he knows

Precisely where a portion of my army pension goes;

On the thrill of the track.

~0~

He mentions Robert Norberton; I tell him all I can;

A baronet, a daredevil, reputed ladies' man,

And fond of a bet.

A past Grand National runner up; a boxer, past his prime;

Accomplishments more suited to a grander, bolder time;

And deeply in debt.

~0~

His widowed sister, Beatrice, is holder of their land;

Devoted to her brother, and her Shoscombe spaniels and

To Shoscombe Old Place.

John Mason, client, enters; self-possessed, composed and cold;

For everything he does is calm and carefully controlled;

It shows in his face.

~0~

He thinks Sir Robert Norberton, his boss, is quite insane;

The Derby and his plans for Shoscombe Prince have turned his brain.

He fears for the worst.

His gambling debts are mounting, he is heading for a fall

He's borrowed money where he can, prepared to risk it all;

On his colt coming first.

~0~

He's always at the stables, each spare moment, night and day;

His sister, fond of Shoscombe Prince, now keeps the colt at bay

And she simply drives by.

No simple explanation why the two remain apart

She broods and drinks excessively despite her weakened heart;

No clear reason why.

~0~

He gave her favourite pet away despite its pedigree

He took away her spaniel, but what motive could there be?

It howled, nothing more.

He used to see his sister, in her chambers, every night,

But now he rarely visits; had there been a bitter fight?

They'd not argued before.

~0~

Strange sinister activities are witnessed after dark;

A haunted ruined crypt Sir Robert visits in the park

Next night he goes back

Sir Robert meets a stranger in that damp and lonely place,

Such outings add disturbing new suspicions to this case

Two men mark his track.

~0~

So, an ordered, peaceful household till about a week ago;

What happened to significantly rock the status quo?

What dreadful event?

The sister, isolated, and the brother wild and tense

Disturbance of some ancient bones, defying common sense

Perhaps evil intent?

~0~

That spaniel, briefly borrowed, for a planned strategic walk;

A routine carriage trip waylaid for commonplace small talk;

The spaniel released.

A joyful hoped reunion with his mistress turns to woe;

Subterfuge identified, suspicions start to grow

That the sister's deceased

~0~

At first, foul play's considered, though the motive isn't clear;

Then other, quite distasteful possibilities appear

No respect for the dead

A brother who is focussed on the winning of a bet

His sister's peace comes second to avoidance of the threat

Of foreclosure instead.

~0~

Success for Robert Norberton; his dark horse wins the race

Concealment of his sister's death does not bring much disgrace;

Reputation preserved.

He takes his Derby winnings, and seems quite devoid of shame

Continuing to prosper both in fortune and in fame;

Much more than deserved.

~0~

* * *

_a/n 2: Rime Couée- French form, 12 century I think. 6 line 1 and 2 rhyme, as do 4 and 5. 3 and 6 rhyme with each other and are shorter than the others._


	35. Observations on a Client

_a/n: The strange arrival of Mr Alexander Holder at the start of "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet"_

_A rondel supreme._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me._

* * *

**Observations on a Client**

* * *

The contours of Baker Street softened by snow.

A lone frantic figure seen clear against white;

Perpetual motion; an eye-catching sight.

A drama played out on the pavement below.

~0~

His pace is erratic, he runs to and fro;

Two gaze from a window, observe his strange plight;

The contours of Baker Street, softened by snow.

A lone frantic figure seen clear against white.

~o~

Both offer their thoughts on the antics on show;

One sighs for a madman, all reason in flight;

One spies a fresh client, and beams in delight.

They wonder what pattern of fate brought him low.

The contours of Baker Street softened by snow.

A lone frantic figure seen clear against white.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: rondel supreme-also known as the rondel prime and, I think, the French sonnet. First 2 lines appear at the end of the other two stanzas. Rhyme pattern is ABba-abAB-abbaAB_


	36. Good old Watson!

_a/n: a poem starting with a line from the ACD original tale "His Last Bow"_

_Thanks to Zaydee and ennui enigma._

_Wishing the incomparable MapleleafCameo a very Happy Birthday!_

_POV of Holmes_

* * *

**Good old Watson!**

* * *

You are the one fixed point in a changing age;

A lighthouse steady in a wave-lashed sea;

A rock-solid beacon in a changing world;

A sure, fixed light wherever storms may be.

~0~

An east wind's coming and the days are chilled;

You mark the shadows and you watch the skies;

Many souls won't make it through this darkened age;

I pray you'll be one who greets the next sunrise.

~0~

The point is near when we will have to part;

There's a good deal more which I would like to say.

Though we're called to service, Watson, just for now

We are two old friends above a moonlit bay.

~0~

As we stand together in a star-filled light;

We are both prepared to face a long, cold night.

~0~

The peace of this moment and the moonlit bay

Will not be forgotten, Watson, come what may.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2: the full quote is_

_"Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age. There's an east wind coming all the same, such a wind as never blew on England yet. It will be cold and bitter, Watson, and a good many of us may wither before its blast. But it is God's own wind none the less, and a cleaner, better stronger land will lie in the sunshine when the storm has cleared." -Arthur Conan Doyle._

_Lines 2 to 14 each contain a different word from the title and first line._


	37. The Reveal

_a/n: two points of view on the final scene of "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" Contains spoilers._

_Holmes and companions do not belong to me_

_Thanks to Zaydee and ennui enigma for inspiration and support. Thanks again to Lisa, mystery reviewer, for continuing to brighten my day with her reviews:-) _

_2 curtal sonnets_

* * *

**The Reveal**

* * *

_POV of Watson_

_~0~_

A scene we both felt privileged to share;

A snow-white cloth with plaster bust on top;

Lestrade and I watched every movement, rapt.

Holmes lined his target up with expert care

Then raised his trusty, well-used riding crop;

Napoleon's pale form was sharply tapped.

~0~

Holmes held up what the fragments had concealed;

A flawless, priceless, stolen black pearl drop.

A long and complicated case unwrapped;

Unique detective genius revealed.

We clapped.

~0~

~0~

_POV of Holmes_

_~0~_

A scene I felt quite privileged to share;

I laid the last Napoleon on top,

Aware that both my friends were watching, rapt.

A flourish, as I chose my spot with care

And raised my trusty, well-used riding crop;

A flick, the plaster form was sharply tapped.

~0~

I knew precisely what the bust concealed;

A flawless, priceless, stolen black pearl drop,

Another complicated case unwrapped;

The admiration of my friends revealed;

They clapped.

~0~

* * *

_a/n2:a curtal sonnet. 10 lines of iambic pentameter and a final 2 syllable line._

_Rhyme pattern...abcabcdbcdc_


End file.
